NW Scheduler/Publisher - Updates, Support, and Suggestions

[Indapipe]

42 minutes ago, Floyd said:

 

That sends all of the information to check. I want the next one which will specifically tell them what is missing and only send to those who are missing information. But is seems to only send it to the group overseers.

Yeah that does seem like a limitation as far as I can see also.

As a suggestion, how about using the 2 forms in conjunction: The first form sent individually to selected publishers that are missing info (The form itself indicates what is missing by leaving the field blank) and then the second form to the respective group overseers to follow up, thus working as a team?

Edited Sunday at 07:04 PM by Indapipe

[Marky]

There is no way to send emails to individual publishers that auto-populate what information is missing into the message.  The email tag [PERSONS_MISSING_INFORMATION] for some probably good reason(s) unknown to me, is not coded to work in outgoing emails to publisers.  It does show in the dropdown box but it does not work when on the "Email" page.  The NWS help documentation confirms that it is not supported there.  The secretary, admins, nor field service group overseers can use that email tag in individual publishers' email messages.

The only way I know to do what you want is to manually enter what is needed into the message.  You could still use NWS to send the emails and use the other email tags to save you some time.  I would make a list of all the possible missing information.  Then you could just keep copying and pasting the appropriate reqeusts into the respective messages.  You would just paste in what was missing for that respective publisher such as "date of birth" or "date of birth" and "emergency contacts."

Here is an awkward sample that you could customize and improve:

Dear [TO_FIRST_NAME],

Thank you for all of the information you have provided for our records.  We just need a little more information to make sure we have everything available in case of emergencies.  Please respond to me or to your field service group overseer with this information as soon as possible.

Please contact us to add or update this information:

     Telephone number(s)

     Address

     Date of birth

     Date Immersed

     Emergency contacts (Please include names, telephone numbers, emails, relationship and any other pertinent notes.)

Thank you.

Your brother, ________

On behalf of [FIELD_SERVICE_GROUP_OVERSEER]
 

[Aja]

Hey all, I have a 2 part question. Recently I switched from Secretary to Service Overseer and I'm working to get familiar with this new role.

1. Any other Service Overseers out there? Any tips or tricks you'd like to share, particularly in utilizing NWS to keep me organized? I've been looking to see if there is a feature in the program that I can use to schedule the FSG visits that would keep me on schedule and notify the group of my upcoming visit. Does NWS have this function?
2. To all you encyclopedic brained brothers, do you recall there being any direction about an ideal size (# of homes) for each territory map? Our territory maps vary greatly in the number of homes per map and I would love to do an equalizing but was wondering if there was direction on how many is ideal. I know NWS only allows so many per map (300?) but I felt like there was some theocratic direction as well, but I may be getting the 2 mixed up.

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

Edited yesterday at 04:01 AM by Aja
Clarity

[Aja]

16 minutes ago, Aja said:

1. ...I've been looking to see if there is a feature in the program that I can use to schedule the FSG visits that would keep me on schedule and notify the group of my upcoming visit. Does NWS have this function?

I found the answer to this in an earlier post from late last year. Search is my friend🤪

[Floyd]

6 hours ago, Aja said:

do you recall there being any direction about an ideal size (# of homes) for each territory map?

 

I just asked our CO about this because we have the same problem. He said it was up to us to decide. I think its because some territory is extremely rural and some is walking. The CO was unwilling to even give his opinion on the matter. The bottom line is it should be worked in 4 months. So if you find that large territories are not being worked in 4 months then you might think about splitting the territory. For us we have almost all walking territory and I have been reorganizing some so that its between 100 and 200 addresses.

Edited yesterday at 10:04 AM by Floyd

[Tortuga]

2 hours ago, Floyd said:

 

I just asked our CO about this because we have the same problem. He said it was up to us to decide. I think its because some territory is extremely rural and some is walking. The CO was unwilling to even give his opinion on the matter. The bottom line is it should be worked in 4 months. So if you find that large territories are not being worked in 4 months then you might think about splitting the territory. For us we have almost all walking territory and I have been reorganizing some so that its between 100 and 200 addresses.

When we started using Territory Helper, our SO developed the territories with 60-80 homes each. I don't know if he had direction to do that or if it was a Service Committee decision. 

Edited yesterday at 01:03 PM by Tortuga

[foghorn]

2 hours ago, Floyd said:

For us we have almost all walking territory and I have been reorganizing some so that its between 100 and 200 addresses.

Same here - that number seems to work well. We have territories set for 2 Not-Home attempts. Now that we are marking each address as we work it, we are doing a MUCH better job of consistently working the NH's. Typical time to complete a territory ranges from 2 months to 4 months (somewhat influenced by weather, other activities). One approach is to make one complete pass by the week-day groups, then do the 2nd pass on the weekend. After that, the remaining NH's go to letter-writing group. And a few small territories can be reserved for older and infirm ones.

[Marky]

@Aja 

Through NWS you can schedule a service overseer visit that will be posted to NWP.

Congregation > Congregation Events > + New > In the “Type” dropdown choose “Service Overseer Visit” > Enter the date > In the dropdown menu at the bottom select the field service group.

Request the coordinator to have it announced.  It is just a personal opinion but I think it sends a better message when it is announced more than just a few days before the visit.  Meaning, announcing it the week before the visit instead of the week of the visit.  It shows the SO is organized, cares about the group, and wants everyone possible to arrange to support the visit.